NEW YORK (Reuters) - Former Cy Young Award winner Cliff Lee of the Seattle Mariners has been handed a five-game suspension for "intentionally" throwing at the head of Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Chris Snyder, Major League Baseball said on Wednesday.

The incident occurred during the third inning of Seattle's 13-5 loss to Arizona in a spring training game on Monday in Tucson, Arizona. Both benches emptied when Snyder started to walk to the mound but no punches were thrown.

The 31-year-old Lee won the Cy Young Award as the American League's best pitcher in 2008 as a member of the Cleveland Indians.

Unless appealed, Lee will begin serving his suspension on Opening Day, April 5.

(Writing by Steve Ginsburg, Editing by Ed Osmond)